Nathaniel Hawthorne was born
in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, and New England figures
prominently in the majority of his works; many of his works, most famously The Scarlet Letter, draw inspiration from
the puritan outlook, assuming humanity’s inherent evil and sin. This volume
centers on Hawthorne’s short stories which are beautifully crafted pieces
layered with characters ill at ease with their path through life.

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Listener Opinions

Jim | 1/20/2014

" Here's a collection of short stories by the greatest American writer of short stories. I'm not sure what I like most about Hawthorne, this constant wrestling with his/our Puritian forefathers or the importance/use of color in his writing. "

Abby Sominski | 7/9/2013

" I read this book while stuck in the back of the house keeping my dog company while a repairman was doing work elsewhere, I had read a few of the stories previously but found several new ones I liked. "

Amy | 5/6/2013

" Had to read these for a class at the Institute. Liked them o.k., discovered I am not such a big fan of Hawthorne's SS. "

Steven | 4/20/2013

" Hawthornes short stories are awesome! "

Troy Storm | 4/5/2013

" Wonderful book of short stories by one of our greatest writers. Takes a bit of getting used to, they were written mid-1800s, but are more than worth it. Some eerie, some fairly light, but all intensely evocative. "

Master Chief | 12/4/2012

" I really didnt like this book. i only read it for class "

Caleb | 10/29/2012

" Beautiful, lush, dark, and romantic. These stories are nothing short of wonderful. "

Laura Lynch | 9/22/2012

" Classic writter-insiteful-really gets under the skin of his characters. I have read this book before but return to it as the stories are multi-layered and lush. "

Bookzo | 7/31/2012

" Once again, I read this classic; I will assign it to English 11 Honors. Since I visited some of Hawthorne's haunts this summer, I wanted to re-read it. Always a great story. "

Samantha | 5/19/2012

" I was shocked at how much I loved many of the Nathaniel Hawthorne's short stories included in this book. I was especially moved by "Wakefield" and "The Great Stone Face." "

Lauren | 4/20/2012

" I love Hawthorne's short stories, particularly from the perspective of a sci-fi geek. Many of his short stories reach into the realm of proto-sci-fi, complete with strange creatures living inside people and mad scientists. "

Jennie | 3/21/2012

" have not read all of these. my favorite is "Wakefield" "

Krichter | 12/16/2011

" Some of the themes get repetitive if you read the entire book at once, and I also got tired of the feeble female protagonists, but Hawthorne has a way with words. "

Other Titles by Nathaniel Hawthorne:

About the Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and made his ambition to be a writer while still a teenager. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine, where the poet Longfellow was also a student, and spent several years traveling in New England and writing short stories before his best known novel, The Scarlet Letter, was published in 1850. His writing was not at first financially rewarding, and he worked as measurer and surveyor in the Boston and Salem Custom Houses. In 1853 he was sent to Liverpool as American consul and then lived in Italy before returning to the United States in 1860, where he died in his sleep four years later.

About the Narrator

Vincent Marzello has been active onscreen since the 1970s, appearing in The Spy Who Loved Me, Superman, Never Say
Never Again, and The Witches,
among others, and lending his voice to variety of animated series.

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